Flyfisherman magazine article on intersex bass in Susky.

[krayfish2]

Interesting read and I never knew that situation existed. I don't recall Mike ever discussing this strange occurrence. Any additional info on this Mike?

 

[JG63]

Kray, this also happened in the upper Potomac and the New river watershed in Virginia a few years back.

 

[Fishidiot]

Folks have been aware of this for several years. It first showed up in the Potomac and has now been discovered in many mid Atlantic Rivers...however it is particularly bad in the Susky. It's been the subject of discussion here on this forum in some of the many Susky threads that have materialized.

The main theory is that human effluent from endocrine disruptors may be a significant cause (basically birth control). Most of the ground breaking research on intersex in SMBs has been - and continues to be - conducted by Vicki Blazer. Her research has also revealed accumulation of other human meds in bass brain tissue, including Prozac.

If I had to hazard a speculation, I think these problems are going to be discovered to be quite widespread in big river SMBs in many river systems (I hope I'm wrong) in the future as we get a better picture of this issue.

 

[foxtrapper1972]

Wonder when we'll see this condition start showing up in humans?

 

[krayfish2]

Sorry if I'd missed the other discussions about this. I'll be the first to admit I didn't read all the PFBC links or reports posted. First is heard of it. FFM article addresses Potomac, Shenandoah, Susky and Delaware

 

[Mike]

I did not see the article, but the observation has been some eggs showing up in the testes of some individual male SMB within the population.

 

[Mike]

fox trapper,
There are other documented changes in human development and anatomy that may be related.

 

[geebee]

foxtrapper1972 wrote:
Wonder when we'll see this condition start showing up in humans?

not there yet, but lower male fertility has been blamed on female hormones in the water, and its believed it could also be a cause of the rise in allergies, behavioral issues like OCD, ADHD etc

in addition young females are reaching puberty at much younger ages (8/9) and developing faster. its also believed to be partly responsible for larger average breast size in women.

studies have shown those with well water, in both the new world and third world have less of these problems.

current water treatments in most developed nations do not remove female hormones due to extra cost.

intersex fish has been an issue in europe for at least a decade, as far as i know.

 

[wgmiller]

When you look at all the prescription drugs that enter our waterways via dumping in the toilet or through the process of urination (either way, the sanitary system), it's no wonder these issues exist. At no time in the history of mankind has the population been more medicated than now.

 

[jifigz]

And medications and drugs are a ridiculously dirty, deceitful, and profitable business. They push many drugs on people when they should not and many drugs are honestly questionable whether they should even be on the market.

Medication levels in waterways could definitely be a contributor in the hermaprhoditc bass dilemma. After all, the upper Juniata and upper portions of the Susky branches are much less affected by these problems than the lower portions of these rivers where the water has crossed paths with more and more human population.

 

[jifigz]

I've heard about this for a few years now and it is just always tied to SMB....how about LMB near population centers? Are they being affected as well? Or other sunfish species for that matter? Are the redbreast sunfish in the Susky and Juniata having the same problems?

 

[wgmiller]

On a more positive note, none of the fish sampled showed signs of depression or erectile dysfunction... :lol:

 

[SteveG]

I wasn't aware that larger than average breast size on women was a problem. If anything, I think it'd help combat lower fertility in men.

 

[SteveG]

On a serious note, I wonder how the municipalities dispose of meds when they offer to take expired ones from people.

 

[troutbert]

SteveG wrote:
On a serious note, I wonder how the municipalities dispose of meds when they offer to take expired ones from people.

Probably incineration.

 

[Fishidiot]

troutbert wrote:

SteveG wrote:
On a serious note, I wonder how the municipalities dispose of meds when they offer to take expired ones from people.

Probably incineration.

I think this is correct - they're incinerated.
Many of the pharmacy stores now have what amount to amnesty boxes to collect outdated or unwanted drugs. There's also a growing - and I think very important - effort to increase public awareness about not dumping drugs in the toilet. My local newspaper has just such an article today. Such education efforts should be expanded.

 

[wgmiller]

Fishidiot wrote:
There's also a growing - and I think very important - effort to increase public awareness about not dumping drugs in the toilet. My local newspaper has just such an article today. Such education efforts should be expanded.

Agreed. To not only include medications, but other substances as well. Too often people view dumping stuff down the hopper as the panacea to their disposal problems. Unfortunately, as we all know that stuff ends up in our waterways. Sewer treatment plants can only "scrub" so much.

 

[geebee]

troutbert wrote:

SteveG wrote:
On a serious note, I wonder how the municipalities dispose of meds when they offer to take expired ones from people.

Probably incineration.

sell them to Africa.